Android To Become Dominant Platform, US iPad Share Grows

On Monday, Gartner put out some new hardware forecast figures that try to capture the future of devices and operating systems. The firm says the market is “being driven by sales in tablets, smartphones, and to a lesser extent, ultramobiles, as PC shipments are on the decline.”

Below is Gartner’s global prediction for device share by operating system in 2014. Even if it’s not entirely accurate, what’s incredible is the gap between Android and Windows in the forecast.

Source: Gartner (6/13)

If we look only at the PC market, it’s a different story, of course. But one no longer can in isolation.

Separately, ad network Chitika released tablet traffic data for North America earlier this week. Contrary to many forecasts about Android taking a greater share from the iPad, Chitika shows iPad’s share gaining.

Source: Chitika (June 2013)

In the group just below the top three, Google’s Nexus 7 tablet is the leader. The US tablet market is essentially a four-horse race currently, although ASUS, which makes the Nexus 7, could become a contender with its recently introduced $149 tablet.

About The Author

Greg Sterling is a Contributing Editor at Search Engine Land. He writes a personal blog, Screenwerk, about connecting the dots between digital media and real-world consumer behavior. He is also VP of Strategy and Insights for the Local Search Association. Follow him on Twitter or find him at Google+.